The secret of Mi success

When launching his first dental clinic in 2007 Dr Sandeep Kumar recognised the potential to harness Invisalign’s consumer appeal and value to differentiate his practice.

He implemented a highly successful lead generation and nurturing process and grew his Invisalign case submissions from just seven in the first year to 400 cases in 2015, and by 2016 he was one of the few UK practitioners who have successfully treated over 1,500 patients with Invisalign.

His vision amplified in 2014 when Dr Kumar successfully launched the inaugural MiSmile clinic in Birmingham as the first solely Invisalign focused and branded dental practice in the UK and in 2015, following the success of his first MiSmile practice, Dr Kumar launched The MiSmile Network after innumerable requests by other practitioners to learn the secret of his success. In the first year since setting up the Network Dr Kumar and his team doubled Invisalign case submissions across the group.

One year on and the MiSmile Network already comprises 40 independent general dental practitioners located across the UK, each with a vested interest in growing their Invisalign expertise and case submissions. The network is led and mentored by Dr Kumar and between them, MiSmile Network group members submitted 1,177 cases and reported an average of 126% growth in their first year.

Benefits

The MiSmile network members all have experience treating patients with Invisalign however Dr Kumar’s long-standing relationship with Align Technology confers additional benefits on all members of the group including access to the latest clinical developments, innovations, training, discounts, marketing support and advice, which means that they are able to treat more interesting and challenging cases with confidence. It also provides them with collective and localised marketing support and qualified lead generation campaigns.

As Dr Kumar commented: ‘Our huge wealth of treatment experience coupled with our direct links to Align Technology, and our lead generating marketing means we are well placed to offer practices the support they need to significantly increase their Invisalign case numbers.

Dr Kumar has identified what makes the ideal MiSmile Network member. ‘They will be a general dentist – a practice principal – who has recently been certified as an Invisalign provider and submitted 5-15 cases. They are now starting to treat confidently, but want to take on more complex cases and submit a greater number of patients. They also have the right mind set to invest in their practice and their future success and are keen to learn from more experienced providers to accelerate their progression and their practice growth.‘

Standing on the shoulders of giants

As Dr Ajay Verma of Downing Dental explained: ‘The MiSmile Network is a collection of like-minded individuals who all want to achieve the same goal – to grow their practices’.

Entry level membership is now being extended to further general dentists (practice principals) who are recently certified Invisalign providers, who have carried out 5-15 case submissions and are ready to takes steps to reach the next level. By joining the MiSmile network they can hope to double their number of Invisalign case submissions in the first year of membership. For entry level network members there is a joining fee of £5,000 plus a monthly membership fee. In return there are a wide range of benefits including:

Practitioner sales training

Team sales training

Treatment planning service – timing saving, confidence building

Clinical support and treatment planning service

Discounts and group purchasing benefits

Online lead generation campaigns

Marketing support including consumer digital, local media and PR campaigns

Access to branded communications material

Tailored branded practice toolkit

Open event materials – point of sale, leaflets etc

Straight talking

Dr Erika Schoeman, of Much Hadham Dental Care said: ‘In the first 10 months of joining the MiSmile Network I had submitted 44 Invisalign cases with another eight in the pipeline. It was the best business decision I ever made’. Whilst Dr Sameer Shah of Newmarket Road Dental Practice added ‘Compared to the last year, we’ve more than doubled our case submissions. Coming together as a group to share industry knowledge and skills is truly valuable.’

The MiSmile Network has ambitious growth plans – and with it increased opportunities for its members. It is actively targeting general dentists who are looking for a practice building and support model which allows them to maintain their independence, and control and drive their business growth.

As Jamie Morley, general manager for Align Technology in the UK and Ireland concluded ‘The increase in Invisalign case submissions from the MiSmile Network has been significant. We see this partnership continuing and are committed to its success. There are no other GP networks that we support and endorse. We see the MiSmile Network as a big success.’

Versha Miyanger

Author at Dentistry.co.uk

Versha Miyanger is the managing editor of Orthodontic Practice and Deputy Editor of Private Dentistry and Laboratory magazine. She has worked at FMC Ltd for over 12 years and has extensive experience in the world of dental publishing. Working in the publishing sector for over 20 years, she has written, edited and commissioned for several scientific, pharmaceutical, medical and engineering journals, both online, in print and on their social media sites. Email: [email protected]